UZBEKISTAN

Following the steady decline in funding for scientific cooperation between the U.S. and Uzbekistan, CSTSP initiated a project in 2011 with the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan (ASU) to identify possible areas of future scientific cooperation. An initial meeting was held in Tashkent in 2012 and resulted in the identification of several near- and longer-term opportunities for future cooperation.The goals of the Washington, DC meeting, which was held in May 2013, were to identify specific project proposals, partners, and prospective funders which drew on the near- and long-term cooperative activities described in the Tashkent report.

PUBLICATIONS

NEW REPORT

Enhancing and Sustaining U.S. – Uzbek Collaborations in the Life Sciences

At the May 2013 follow-on workshop, AAAS and AS RUz invited key staff from several funding organizations, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center and National Cancer Institute; National Science Foundation; Defense Threat Reduction Agency; Department of State Biosecurity Engagement Program; and the nongovernmental organizations, U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention and CRDF Global.

Scientists in attendance had expertise in agricultural, environmental, and health sciences and were from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), U.S. universities, and AS RUz institutes. The scientists were given several opportunities to discuss and develop new project proposals throughout the meeting. In addition, the Uzbek scientists were given tours of U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention and USDA-ARS laboratory facilities after which all Uzbek scientists visited the National Arboretum.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan held a meeting on Future Opportunities for U.S.-Uzbekistan Cooperation in the Life Sciences in September 2012. The meeting focused on broad disciplinary areas within the environmental, agricultural, and human health sciences.

The workshop included scientific presentations from Uzbek scientists and their U.S. counterparts, and interactive discussion among all participants to identify potential collaborative areas of mutual interest and benefit. Past achievements and on-going programs that were highlighted during the workshop prompted participants’ eagerness to pursue collaborative opportunities identified during the discussions.